Woman killed, another injured in Cawdor after freak lightning storm leads to fallen trees

The owner of a cat grooming business in Sydney’s southwest has been identified as the woman killed by a “freak bolt” of lightning during Saturday night’s storm.

A woman has died and another is injured after a tree “exploded” after a lightning strike during a freak storm. Picture: TNV

The owner of a cat grooming business in Sydney’s southwest was killed when a “freak bolt” of lightning shattered a tree near where she was standing during last night’s storm.

Rosanna Hashem died, and her friend was hospitalised, when the bolt of lightning which “shook the place” struck her property on Old Razorback Rd in Cawdor about 5.30pm on Saturday.

Ms Hashem, aged in her 40s, was standing out the back of her salon at The Groomery Cat Grooming Services when the freak accident happened.

Her friend who was standing nearby is understood to have lost part of her finger in the lightning strike.

A NSW Police spokeswoman said Ms Hashem was treated at the scene by paramedics, but could not be revived, while the second woman – who was also aged in her 40s – was taken to Liverpool Hospital where she remains in a stable condition.

Rosanna Hashem was killed in a freak lightning strike in Sydney’s southwest on Saturday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Rob Campisi said the bang was like nothing he had ever heard. Picture: Matrix

A neighbour on Old Razorback Rd, Rob Campisi, said in more than a decade of living there he had never experienced anything like the lightning strike.

“It just started to rain and then all of a sudden just the loudest bang we’ve ever heard,” Mr Campisi said.

“The power went out and (I was) in the shed and … I looked outside and saw a big cloud of smoke.”

Mr Campisi said he knew straight away it had hit the “paddock across the road”.

Emergency crews at the scene. Picture: TNV

Police at the scene after a fallen tree killed one woman and injured another. Picture: TNV

“It was just a big bang … it was really loud,” he said.

“Something that I’ve never heard before … (I thought) what the hell was that.”

Less than 10 minutes later, Mr Campisi said he heard emergency services rushing up the road and immediately thought “someone has been hurt”.

Mr Campisi said the conditions didn’t warrant people needing to stay inside and he certainly “wasn’t worried about going outside”.

“It was a freak bolt of lightning,” he said.

“Sometimes you just don’t know when it’s your time.”

Authorities are investigating after the tree feel down during a storm. Picture: TNV

Former Farmer Wants A Wife star Lachie McAleer, who lives in a neighbouring property, had just returned inside his home “just briefly” when he heard a “massive bang”.

“I’m like that’s close right,” he said.

Lachlan (Lachie) McAleer who lives on an adjoining property. Picture: RIGHTPHOTO

Mr McAleer said he rushed outside to check on his animals, and usher them into the home.

When discovering the woman had died and another rushed to hospital, Mr McAleer said it was “upsetting”.

“I can only do what I can do (which is) the protection of the animals,” he said.

“I was surprised to find out it was that close, but the bang was that loud … it was massive”.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Edward Medlock said there had been a “very dangerous thunderstorm tag” just to the west of Picton on Saturday, however, once it had travelled over the area, it wasn’t deemed as serious.

He said storms were expected early this week in Sydney, particularly on Monday and Tuesday with heavy rainfall expected.

The conditions are expected to move north east and storms were expected to subside by Wednesday or Thursday.

SES spokesman David Pedersen told The Daily Telegraph severe thunderstorms started about 1.15pm on Saturday in the Snowy Monaro region and it “slowly moved” inland.

He added there had been 114 incidents “since then” with the majority coming from the Sydney metro areas, with the most coming in Sutherland.

Mr Pedersen said majority of incidents were leaking roofs from heavy rainfall but as for Cawdor and surrounding areas, there were roughly five calls overnight.

On Saturday, NSW ambulance inspector David Kynaston said crews found two women “who had been seated about six metres away from a large tree”.

“The lightning bolt … literally caused the tree to explode, sending debris all over the place,” he said.

“Tragically one of the females … has lost her life.”

Inspector Kynaston said it was a “freak incident” which was also “very confronting” for emergency services.

Originally published as Woman killed, another injured in Cawdor after freak lightning storm leads to fallen trees